Chermoula or charmoula is a marinade used in Algerian, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. It is usually used to flavor fish or seafood, but it can be used on other meats or vegetables. Chermoula is often made of a mixture of herbs, oil, lemon juice, pickled lemons, garlic, cumin, and salt. It may also include onion, fresh coriander, ground chili peppers, black pepper, or saffron. There are many different recipes that use different spices, and the proportions vary widely. In most recipes, the first two ingredients are garlic and coriander. A Moroccan version comprises dried parsley, cumin, paprika and salt and pepper. It is the original seasoning for grilling meat and fish in Moroccan cuisine.

I can't vouch for the authenticity, but here's what looks to be a pretty good recipe for chermoula; I found it on the internet, but can't quite remember where - my apologies to the author:

[There are] lots of regional variants [on chermouola] but heres mine. It can be made as a marinade for baking chicken or fish or tweaked a bit for red meats. I make this version, loosen it with a bit of white wine, lather it over big chunky fish or chicken & bake it. I'm sure you...can adapt it to your cooking style.

I bunch flat leaf parsley1 bunch of cilantro (coriander)4 cloves garlic1 red onion or an equal amount shallotsDried red chili soaked in hot water for a bit (how much chili is up to you).

Then add the juice & zest of 2 lemons - or rind of preserved lemon if you have it and a healthy splash of olive oil.

Whiz in the food processor again. The mix should be wet so add a little white wine if you like; it can be used as a dipping sauce if you like, but make it a bit thicker and leave out the wine.

Notes: You can toast the whole spices for added depth. I like my chermoula green, so I use big bunchs of herbs. You can also add fresh mint if you like or a teaspoon of ras el hanout but I think thats overkill. I think it helps to let it sit for a bit before using it. Add extra garlic and/or chili if you want. It will keep well if you put it in a container with a layer of olive oil on top, then refigerate.

I bake marlin/swordfish/hapuka in this mix or put it on chicken halfway through cooking if grilling, or at the start if baking. I wouldnt let fish marinade for long.

If you are a visitor and like what you see, please click here and join the discussions in our community!

There are likely as many versions of chermoula as there are Moroccan cooks, Ron. So who's to say what's "authentic." Basically, it's an herb blend, similar to the South American chimichurra and the Italian pesto.

While most often used as a marinade, it's also used as a sauce, added to tagines (particularly fish tajines) just before serving.

I only have one issue with the above recipe: I can't imagine not toasting the whole spices before using them. To me it's not an option.

One thing that bugs me with the TV chefs is when they make what purposts to be a Moroccan or North African dish, and it includes wine, or they serve wine with it. Even worse was the "pork tajine" one of them made. Say what!

What made it funny was that Dan and I had discussed that very thing a few weeks before the show aired.

Fact is, if the herbs are fresh the chermoula shouldn't need any loosening up. But if it does, a bit more of the lemon juice or olive oil will do the trick.

Brook - considering Wolfert's expertise on the subject, if you want to provide her version, I'd be more than happy to replace the existing one in the opening post with hers; at the very least, we can have her version on the thread as an alternative recipe.

Ahron - I'm not sure if you saw this, but it seems similar to your carrot chermoula:

In keeping with the idea that there's no one chermoula, both Fiona Dunlap (The North African Kitchen) and Ghillie Basan (Tagine: Spicy Stews From Morocco), among others, do not provide a single, "universal" recipe. Instead, each of their recipes using a chermoula has it listed as part of that particular dish.

One that caught my eye especially comes from Ghillie Bason, in her Baked Tagine of Lamb with Quinces, Figs, and Honey recipe. What marks it as different? The chermoula has honey as part of the ingredients. Here's the recipe:

4 garlic cloves, chopped

A 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 red chile, seeded and chopped

1 tsp sea salt

A small bunch of cilantro, chopped

A small bunch of fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped

2-3 tsp ground coriander

2-3 tsp ground cumin

3 tbls olive oil

2 tbls dark honey

Juice of 1 lemon

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, ginger, chile and salt to form a coarse paste. Add the cilantro and parsley and pound into the paste. Beat in the ground coriander and cumon, and bind with the olive oil, honey, and lemon juice. (Alternatively, you can whizz all the ingredients in an electric blender).

In Port Caesarea, Israel, they prepare a Chili Pepper Pesto which is called Shatta and it is commonly used as a side accompanient with grilled lamb ... Here is the recipe my daughter Nathalia had given me when she returned from a business trip to Port Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

1 cup fresh minced cilantro

1 cup fresh minced parsley

1/4 minced fresh red chilie pepper or red chilie flakes

1/8 cup chilled water gradually added

1/4 cup Evoo ( extra virgin olive oil )

1 1/2 tblsps. minced garlic

1 Tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. ground cumin

COMBINE ALL THE INGREDIENTS IN A FP an blend until very combined in Pesto and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours and then, served in pesto type holder with a tiny spoon ...

Brown the chicken in a little olive oil. Once it starts rendering,
brown the onions too. Add everything else. (Including the liquid from
the cans. I rinsed the tomato can with a little low-sodium chicken
broth.) Stir. Cook until the chicken shreds easily. Put shredded
chicken back in pot. Stir. Get everything nice and hot. Serve over
couscous.

You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot create polls in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum